


Sailboats

by LongLivetheTribbles



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Ruby & Sapphire & Emerald | Pokemon Ruby Sapphire Emerald Versions
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, This is supposed to be set in ORAS BUT I didn't see a tag for that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-04
Updated: 2015-02-04
Packaged: 2018-03-10 10:00:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3286148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LongLivetheTribbles/pseuds/LongLivetheTribbles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During a hard day, Maxie reflects on the model sailboat in his room, a memory of a time long since passed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sailboats

Maxie sighed drearily at the disappointing results his computer screen displayed. It would seem that lately, not even small, relatively insignificant projects would succeed. These were minor failures, and of far less consequence than attempting to awaken Groudon had been, but nonetheless irritating. Slightly adjusting his glasses to do so, Maxie rubbed his temples for a moment before standing and wandering through his room in Team Magma’s base aimlessly.

  
Maxie noted various features and details of his room; the hard, darkly painted floor beneath his feet, the warm, almost hot temperature of the air, his desk behind him and a couch over there.

And then his eyes fell upon it.

Sitting on a small stand was a model sailboat, of which he took tremendous and meticulous care.

  
Its parts were in impeccable condition, and the glossy sheen was pristine and spotless. It commanded quite a bit of attention as well; its mere presence within Maxie’s quarters raised quite a few eyebrows, especially seeing as he did not even possess a bed in the hideout. The fact that it was so immaculately kept also caused many to wonder where it came from, and just what the boat meant to the water-loathing Maxie.

  
Occasionally, someone would be bold enough to actually ask Maxie about the unusual sailboat. When that happened, his usual answer was simply that it was a gift from a friend. In fairness, it was not far from the truth. The one who gave it to him all those years ago was indeed a friend, much more than a friend as well.

  
That person was Archie.

  
A gift from Archie, from so long ago. A friendlier time, when they were allies instead of enemies. A gift from Archie, one of the last they’d exchanged before going their separate ways. A memory from happier times, when they fought side-by-side on one unified team. When the sight of one another evoked happiness and camaraderie and so much more, not pain or longing or anger. A memento that caused no small amount of torment, but one that Maxie could not bear to be rid of.

  
One small remaining link to Archie, one small remaining link to that day.

  
It had been a cool, clear evening, and Maxie had just welcomed Archie into his home. Archie was dressed very nicely (and indeed, so was Maxie) and he carried with him a somewhat large package. Although he had no ideas as to what was in the package, it was clear to Maxie that Archie had brought with him a present.

  
It was an anniversary present.

  
And naturally, Maxie had one for Archie as well. As much as Maxie wanted to sate his curiosity to find out what could be inside, that was going to have to wait. Their dinner was finally ready, after Maxie had spent nearly the whole day preparing a feast, as he did every anniversary. Archie and Maxie walked into the kitchen, hand in hand.

  
Maxie’s kitchen was small, and the table had only two chairs. However, in the darkness where the candlelight cast shadows and gently lit the room, the space seemed to expand greatly. On the table sat a plate at either end, a wine glass nearby. In the center, a large candle surrounded by various bottles of wine. The polished silverware gleamed even in the dim light, and everything was laid out perfectly symmetrically.

  
The counters held a bounty of food, so much so that it was obvious they’d have to deal with an abundance of leftovers. So it was every anniversary. The main dish was a roast, cooked to perfection. Near it were various items to eat with it; a bowl of salad, a basket of fluffy rolls, another bowl filled with steaming rice, and more. Still sat various kinds of desserts, each clearly homemade like all the rest of the food, the main one being a small cake sized for two whose icing design read simply “To many more”.

  
Maxie remembered it clearly. It DID take him nearly the whole day to make all that food. It wasn’t a simple matter… it never was. Time management and creativity were crucial. It had been entirely worth it, though, and it always was. It paid off the moment Archie’s face always lit up unfailingly before they each got a helping, sitting down to eat and visit.

Maxie remembered nearly every word.

  
Archie had poured himself a glass of wine. “Here we are. Five years. I guess what they say is true, eh? Time flies when you’re having fun.”

 

Maxie smiled softly and sipped his wine. “There is some merit to that saying, yes.”

  
Archie said nothing in response, but simply looked at Maxie’s face, the way the light hit hit him in this setting. While his features were not significantly coarse by any means, it truly was remarkable how much younger he looked. Even more remarkable was that Maxie, who almost always wore an expression of determination and focus, looked almost relaxed. It was quite appealing.

  
Noticing his unflinching stare, Maxie locked his gaze with Archie’s and couldn’t help but smirk, slightly amused. “Can I help you?” he asked lightheartedly.

  
A devious glimmer appeared in Archie’s eyes; the innuendo was not lost on him. “Ha! Maybe after we eat. Seriously, though… Low light is good on you, Maxie.”

  
Maxie simply smiled and thanked Archie for the compliment. Although he did not have the nearve to admit it at the moment, he found Archie particularly striking now as well. The candlelight not only gave his dark skin the appearance of an almost-literal glow, but highlighted his limpid cerulean eyes as well as his bright smile. Maxie found the effect nearly breathtaking.

  
A sudden laugh and comment from Archie snapped Maxie out of it. “Aww, come on! Just ‘nearly breathtaking’?”

  
It wouldn’t be the first time Maxie accidentally expressed lines of thought aloud.

  
"You’re too kind, Maxie… You know that? For someone who tries so hard to be dispassionate and logical, you sure do have a romantic side." He paused. "No, even more than that… Maxie, you harbor all this passion. Passion that you restrain, keep under meticulous control. Passion that, when unleashed, is as fiery and beautiful as your hair is red. So much passion that it sometimes slips out and you don’t even notice. And that is part of why I love you.”

  
Maxie was silent for just a moment, which Archie regarded as a small victory. Rendering Maxie speechless for any length of time was no small feat.

Finally, the redhead flashed a smug grin. “And you say I have a romantic side.”

  
Archie knew what he really meant.

  
And so it went on like that for a while longer, flattering and amusing and shooting well-meaning snide remarks at one another, at least until they each had their fill of dinner and dessert. They stored the more perishable leftovers and walked back into Maxie’s living room, sitting facing one another on the sofa to exchange their gifts.

  
The two opened their presents at the same time, simultaneously lifting identical sailboat models from the boxes. Upon that realization, neither could help but laugh for a moment, something that was even then exceedingly rare for Maxie.

  
After setting their sailboats carefully on the coffee table, Archie and Maxie took one another in a deep embrace, expressing gratitude and vowing to treasure the boats forever.

  
Maxie vividly remembered what happened next. He stood up, extending a hand to Archie, who took his hand and also stood. The two went to Maxie’s bedroom, as they seemed to every time Archie visited.

They made love and fell asleep in one another’s arms.

  
Maxie could scarcely remember a time he felt so loved.

  
He could, however, easily remember a time he felt as hated.

  
In the years after, one thing after another gradually drove a wedge between the two.

First, with almost no warning, and despite a promising future, their organization fell. It was a development out of seemingly nowhere. This collapse had a part in the second factor that drove them apart.

  
That second factor was their increased engrossment in their clashing ideologies. While Archie and Maxie had more self-control than to come to physical blows over the matter, their debates became gradually more heated, which eventually ignited flames of animosity.

  
Which led to the third and final factor.

 

Determined to pursue their own ideals, their own visions of the perfect world, the other side be damned, they went their separate ways and led Teams Aqua and Magma. And so they were once again brought together, this time as sworn nemeses.

His mind returning to the present, Maxie sighed with melancholy. It all seemed distant, so long ago, when in reality it had not even been twenty years since all this had transpired. He found himself nowadays wondering what would now become of his relationship with Archie, now that they had attempted to set aside their differences and be enemies no longer.

The disheartening but real possibility that their strained relationship might be beyond the point of repair lingered persistently in Maxie’s mind, stirring a cocktail of volatile emotions; sadness, longing, but also anger at himself and the world… and above all, regret.

  
Closing his eyes, which were now filled with unshed tears, Maxie picked up a cloth and began to once more wipe down the boat that sailed on a sea of memories.


End file.
